Smoother Main Street in store for Royal

Royal residents could have something extra to celebrate when Fun Days are held this month, as Main Street is expected to have a new surface by the end of next week.

Blacktop Service Co. was awarded the contract during a special city council meeting on June 25. Their proposal calls for milling four inches of existing surface from Main Street and repaving it with asphalt. Their bid was $215,816.

Fuller & Sons Paving proposed milling the entire street width down four inches and repaving with two 2-inch lifts of hot mix at a cost of $275,000.

"Blacktop Service spoke our language the first time we met with them, and are $60,000 less than Fuller," said Mayor Josh Toft.

According to discussion, the final project cost could fluctuate somewhat depending on how much existing material is milled and how much asphalt is required for the overlay.

The area to be paved involves the widest section of Main Street, extending west three blocks from Huberg Trucking's shop to the fire station.

Blacktop Services indicated they could begin work on July 8 and should be finished in four days, weather permitting.

"I told them not to start unless they are sure they can do it," Toft said.

"The worst case scenario is we have to tell them they can't do it. I don't think that will happen," said Council Member Mitch Fahnlander.

The city will stockpile material milled from the existing street surface. Maintenance Superintendent Sherman Nielsen said some of it can be used at the lagoon site. The rest could be used as a base for a proposed street located north of The Great Hall of Royal.

"There's a lot of opportunity to use that [material]," Toft noted.

Transfers from existing funds to a street improvement fund will finance the project. Proposed transfer amounts include $17,055 of remaining American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds, $130,000 from the water utility fund, $166,000 from the local option tax fund and $11,900 from the road use tax fund.

The total amount to be transferred is well above what is needed to pay for the project.

According to previous discussion, a resolution will be adopted at the July 10 meeting to authorize the transfer from the water utility fund. Approximately $5,400 will be left in that fund for future needs.

In other business, Nielsen recommended the city purchase another four-inch transfer pump. Two pumps currently used by the city were provided by Clay County Emergency Management, which could ask for them back if they are needed elsewhere. No official action was taken on the request.